Promotional tug of war as Jai Opetaia and David Benavidez jostle over Noel Mikaelian

The Zuffa announcement came minutes after the sole promoters for WBO/WBA cruiserweight champion David Benavidez and Mikaelian told BoxingScene they have signed a contract for a December 12 unification between Benavidez and Mikaelian in Glendale, Arizona.

Delivering his patented laugh, Mikaelian's promoter Don King told BoxingScene, “Well, [Mikaelian] has a signed contract with me. I love Noel, and I hope he does the right thing.”

King said Mikaelian sought a specific financial figure to fight Benavidez, and the promoter delivered.

“He [Mikaelian] wanted $1 million, and I got him $1 million,” King said of Mikaelian, 28-3 (12 KOs), who captured the belt in December by defeating Badou Jack by decision.

Sampson Lewkowicz, the CEO of Sampson Boxing, which promotes Phoenix’s three-division champion Benavidez, 32-0 (26 KOs), said his fighter was to sign the fight agreement for Mikaelian in short order.

As for Mikaelian, while King says the fighter is bound to honor the promoter’s negotiations, Lewkowicz said before the Zuffa announcement that there were persistent industry rumors Mikaelian was returning to negotiate for an Opetaia bout after first doing so in the spring, when officials told BoxingScene a deal was in the final stages.

Opetaia will fight on the September 12 card headlined by new WBC welterweight champion Ryan Garcia versus England’s No. 1 contender Conor Benn at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

“I’m not too worried about that,” King said about the prospect of Mikaelian potentially avoiding Benavidez before the Zuffa fight announcement. “We’re trying to bring the electricity back to boxing with this unification.

“He might be considering something from people with good intentions, but the road to hell is paved with good intentions.”

Lewkowicz and King both said if Mikaelian moves away from the Benavidez fight, the grounds for a lawsuit exist because of Mikaelian’s signed ties to King.

The 35-year-old Armenian said in a prepared statement from Zuffa: “When I step into the ring on September 12 against Jai Opetaia in Las Vegas, I intend to defend my [WBC] world championship. This is the fight I’ve wanted since becoming a two-time world champion, and I’m ready to deliver. I haven’t fought since December 2025 because of circumstances outside of my control. I refused to stay inactive. Champions are meant to defend their titles, and that’s exactly what I’m prepared to do.” 

His manager, Anthony Girges, said in a prepared statement: “My job has always been to put Noel in the best position to succeed. More than 60 days after Noel vs. David Benavidez was ordered, we still haven’t received a bona fide offer. Noel wasn’t going to sit on the sidelines any longer. This isn’t just about two champions in Noel and Opetaia. It’s about protecting the integrity of the sport and making the fights the fans deserve.”

Benavidez also stands as the WBC light-heavyweight champion, and that position afforded him the opportunity to petition for a WBC cruiserweight title shot, which WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman granted in May.

If Mikaelian opts to fight Opetaia, the expectation is he will be stripped of the WBC belt and Benavidez would have the chance to fight the next fighter in line, Poland’s Michal Cieslak, for a third 200lbs belt.